KABUL: Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan releasing a statement here on Wednesday rejected China’s People’s Daily Online report on Afghanistan’s treasures exhibition, saying the artifacts were put on display based on goodwill of Afghanistan towards its northeastern neighbor, People’s Republic of China.

“Unfortunately, the Peoples’ Daily Online on May 15th, 2018 has reported that Afghanistan Treasures Exhibition is protected and displayed in China because of concern about its safety herein Afghanistan. The Ministry of Information and Culture completely reject the report and displayed the Afghanistan Treasures Exhibition in china as a goodwill of Afghanistan to the people of China,” the ministry’s statement said.

According to the statement, the Ministry could preserve these treasures during 90s civil war that heavy fightingwas going on between warring parties in different parts of Kabul City and that there was no reason to have concern on their safety and security, as Kabul’s current security situation is very much stable comparing to those harsh times that these treasures were preserved.

“Our treasure is our identity and we always preserve it at any time and any cost,” the statement quoted the ministry as saying.

Meanwhile the ministry expressed the main goal behind the exhibition to show Afghanistan’s rich history and culture to its brothers and sisters in China which they didn’t know much about it.

“We initially received request to show this exhibition for two years in 6 museums after Palace and Dunhuang Museums, but we only been able to give this exhibition for 3 museums and refused the 3 remaining. Still Afghanistan receive many requests from Chinese museums and other museums around the world to display this exhibition.This will depend to the approval of Cabinet Members and decisions at the Ministry of Information and Culture,” the statement added.

According to ministry, the exhibition had been travelling to many safe countries around the world since 2006, so Afghanistan could protect it in those countries, adding there is only 231 piece of objects in Afghanistan Treasures Exhibition, while the Ministry and in particular the National Museum of Afghanistan currently preserve more than 70 thousand precious objects which is very important and there is no concerntheir safety and security. “so, the protection of the 231 objects is a very easy task for us.” The ministry went on saying that it was quite normal and task of museums around the world to exchange exhibitions and Afghanistan doing the samethrough displaying its treasures. “Currently the Ministry of Information and Culture are working on another exhibition from our treasures to display in China and othercountries, so it doesn’t mean we need shelter for this object.” MoIC insists the exhibition was showing the goodwill of people of Afghanistan to the people of China and the exhibition was a gift for the people of China. “Through this exhibition, we aim to strengthen the cultural relation between two countries and we hope that the cultural relation and cooperation between two countries further bolstered.”